’Picasso of the tile’ promotes Turkey abroad
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolia News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Kasım 14, 2008 00:00
KÜTAHYA - Sıtkı Olçar, Turkey's well-known tile artist, promotes the country abroad with his unique tile work displayed in exhibitions throughout the world.
Regarded as the 'Picasso of the tile' in German magazine Der Spiegel’s April edition last year, Olçar's tiles draw attention from art lovers worldwide. His tiles decorate many buildings and houses in Turkey
Described as the "Picasso of the tile," by German magazine "Der Spiegel," Sıtkı Olçar’s unique tile works are exhibited so regularly overseas he has become an envoy of Turkish culture abroad.
Olçar, 60, lives in the central Anatolian city of Kütahya. Speaking to the Anatolia news agency, Olçar said his interest in the art of the tile began when he was working for an American power plant company. He sold tiles in his spare time and later in 1973, began producing tiles in his own small atelier, "Ottoman Tile."
"During the 35 years of my professional life, I have tried many unusual things. I bought tiles from Central Asian cities such as Samarkand, Bukhara and Kütahya and produced pieces in an antique style. Over time I created my own unique style and this drew attention from art lovers abroad, who then visited my atelier. I have worked with master painters like Avni Arbaş and Mustafa Plevneli, and held exhibitions overseas."
’Some of my works have traces of Picasso’
Olçar said the April 2007 edition of Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine featured his works in an article on ceramic and tile art in Kütahya, describing Olçar as the "Picasso of the tile."
"I did not know much about Picasso when I began making tiles. I was shocked when I saw his paintings in exhibitions in Madrid and New York. We do not have works of Picasso in the region I live. I studied his works in Valerio, France’s tile production center, and his work has inspired some of my own. I presented some of the work that has traces of Picasso, in a section of one exhibition titled ’Samples from Picasso.’"
Olçar said when he first saw Picasso’s work he understood tiles with ragged edges could be a work of art. "My tiles inspired by Picasso have ragged edges. Art lovers say I produce new tile forms, combining traditional and contemporary forms."
His works are imitated
Olçar said his products have been imitated, "When tiles are manufactured, they lose the art within their core." He said he is not against industrialization, but worries that certain colors and forms will not be produced if big plants replace small ateliers. "Just like knife producers in Germany’s Solingen or glass artists in Italy’s Venice," he said.
In his tiles, Olçar uses fish motifs, also used in Seljuk art of the 13th century. "I love the world, people and nature too much. That is why I see richness all around me. Anatolia is full of historical and cultural remnants of various civilizations. People who can see these remnants, can succeed at anything," he said.
Since the 1980s, Olçar has held more than 60 exhibitions abroad, including in the United States, Japan, Britain, Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Greece and Bulgaria. His most recent exhibition overseas was in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv.
His latest works were exhibited in the Çırağan Palace in May, to coincide with the 555th anniversary of Istanbul’s conquest. Istanbul was featured in the work in the exhibition.
His tiles are featured in a number of prominent buildings, including the Istanbul Stock Exchange, Koç Group’s Talia Hotel and the lobby of the Ece Saray Hotel in the Mediterranean city of Fethiye. Olçar uses his name Sıtkı as a signature on his tiles, which has become a brand name overseas.
Described as the "Picasso of the tile," by German magazine "Der Spiegel," Sıtkı Olçar’s unique tile works are exhibited so regularly overseas he has become an envoy of Turkish culture abroad.
Olçar, 60, lives in the central Anatolian city of Kütahya. Speaking to the Anatolia news agency, Olçar said his interest in the art of the tile began when he was working for an American power plant company. He sold tiles in his spare time and later in 1973, began producing tiles in his own small atelier, "Ottoman Tile."
"During the 35 years of my professional life, I have tried many unusual things. I bought tiles from Central Asian cities such as Samarkand, Bukhara and Kütahya and produced pieces in an antique style. Over time I created my own unique style and this drew attention from art lovers abroad, who then visited my atelier. I have worked with master painters like Avni Arbaş and Mustafa Plevneli, and held exhibitions overseas."
’Some of my works have traces of Picasso’
Olçar said the April 2007 edition of Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine featured his works in an article on ceramic and tile art in Kütahya, describing Olçar as the "Picasso of the tile."
"I did not know much about Picasso when I began making tiles. I was shocked when I saw his paintings in exhibitions in Madrid and New York. We do not have works of Picasso in the region I live. I studied his works in Valerio, France’s tile production center, and his work has inspired some of my own. I presented some of the work that has traces of Picasso, in a section of one exhibition titled ’Samples from Picasso.’"
Olçar said when he first saw Picasso’s work he understood tiles with ragged edges could be a work of art. "My tiles inspired by Picasso have ragged edges. Art lovers say I produce new tile forms, combining traditional and contemporary forms."
His works are imitated
Olçar said his products have been imitated, "When tiles are manufactured, they lose the art within their core." He said he is not against industrialization, but worries that certain colors and forms will not be produced if big plants replace small ateliers. "Just like knife producers in Germany’s Solingen or glass artists in Italy’s Venice," he said.
In his tiles, Olçar uses fish motifs, also used in Seljuk art of the 13th century. "I love the world, people and nature too much. That is why I see richness all around me. Anatolia is full of historical and cultural remnants of various civilizations. People who can see these remnants, can succeed at anything," he said.
Since the 1980s, Olçar has held more than 60 exhibitions abroad, including in the United States, Japan, Britain, Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Greece and Bulgaria. His most recent exhibition overseas was in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv.
His latest works were exhibited in the Çırağan Palace in May, to coincide with the 555th anniversary of Istanbul’s conquest. Istanbul was featured in the work in the exhibition.
His tiles are featured in a number of prominent buildings, including the Istanbul Stock Exchange, Koç Group’s Talia Hotel and the lobby of the Ece Saray Hotel in the Mediterranean city of Fethiye. Olçar uses his name Sıtkı as a signature on his tiles, which has become a brand name overseas.